Map of São Tomé and Príncipe | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Discovered and claimed by Portugal in the late 15th century the islands' sugar-based economy gave way to coffee and cocoa in the 19th century - all grown with plantation slave labor a form of which lingered into the 20th century. Although independence was achieved in 1975 democratic reforms were not instituted until the late 1980s. The first free elections were held in 1991.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 960 km²; Land area: 960 km²; Comparative area: slightly less than 5.5 times the size of Washington, DC

Land boundaries: none

Coastline: 209 km

Maritime claims: (measured from claimed archipelagic baselines); Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm; Territorial sea: 12 nm; Disputes: none

Climate: tropical; hot, humid; one rainy season (October to May)

Terrain: volcanic, mountainous

Elevation

Natural resources: fish

Land use: arable land: 1%; permanent crops: 20%; meadows and pastures 1%; forest and woodland 75%; other 3%

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 132,338 (July 1992), growth rate 2.9% (1992)

Nationality: noun - Sao Tomean(s); adjective - Sao Tomean

Ethnic groups: mestico, angolares (descendents of Angolan slaves), forros (descendents of freed slaves), servicais (contract laborers from; Angola, Mozambique, and Cape Verde), tongas (children of servicais born on the islands), and Europeans (primarily Portuguese)

Languages: Portuguese (official)

Religions: Roman Catholic, Evangelical Protestant, Seventh-Day Adventist

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 38 births/1000 population (1992)

Death rate: 8 deaths/1000 population (1992)

Net migration rate: 0 migrants/1000 population (1992)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: deforestation; soil erosion; Note: located south of Nigeria and west of Gabon near the Equator in the; North Atlantic Ocean

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 58 deaths/1000 live births (1992)

Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 68 years female (1992)

Total fertility rate: 5.2 children born/woman (1992)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 57% (male 73%, female 42%) age 15 and over can read and write (1981)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name

Government type: republic

Capital: Sao Tome

Administrative divisions: 2 districts (concelhos, singular - concelho);; Principe, Sao Tome

Dependent areas

Independence: 12 July 1975 (from Portugal)

National holiday: Independence Day, 12 July (1975)

Constitution: 5 November 1975, approved 15 December 1982

Legal system: based on Portuguese law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18; President: last held 3 March 1991 (next to be held NA March 1996); results - Miguel TROVOADA was elected without opposition in Sao Tome's first multiparty presidential election; National People's Assembly: last held 20 January 1991 (next to be held; NA January 1996); results - PCD-GR 54.4%, MLSTP 30.5%, CODO 5.2%, FDC 1.5%, other 8.3%; seats - (55 total) PCD-GR 33, MLSTP 21, CODO 1; note - this was the first multiparty election in Sao Tome and Principe

Executive branch: president, prime minister, Council of Ministers (cabinet)

Legislative branch: unicameral National People's Assembly (Assembleia; Popular Nacional)

Judicial branch: Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, CEEAC, ECA, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IFAD, ILO,; IMF, INTERPOL, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WHO,; WMO, WTO; Diplomatic representation: Ambassador Joaquim Rafael BRANCO; Chancery (temporary) at 801 Second Avenue, Suite 603, New York, NY 10,017; telephone (212) 697-4,211; US: Ambassador to Gabon is accredited to Sao Tome and Principe on a nonresident basis and makes periodic visits to the islands

Diplomatic representation

Flag description: three horizontal bands of green (top), yellow (double width), and green with two black five-pointed stars placed side by side in the center of the yellow band and a red isosceles triangle based on the hoist side; uses the popular pan-African colors of Ethiopia

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: The economy has remained dependent on cocoa since the country gained independence nearly 15 years ago. Since then, however, cocoa production has gradually deteriorated because of drought and mismanagement, so that by 1987 output had fallen to less than 50% of its former levels. As a result, a shortage of cocoa for export has created a serious balance-of-payments problem. Production of less important crops, such as coffee, copra, and palm kernels, has also declined. The value of imports generally exceeds that of exports by a ratio of 4:1. The emphasis on cocoa production at the expense of other food crops has meant that Sao Tome has to import 90% of food needs. It also has to import all fuels and most manufactured goods. Over the years, Sao Tome has been unable to service its external debt, which amounts to roughly 80% of export earnings. Considerable potential exists for development of a tourist industry, and the government has taken steps to expand facilities in recent years. The government also implemented a Five-Year Plan covering 1986-90 to restructure the economy and reschedule external debt service payments in cooperation with the; International Development Association and Western lenders.; GDP: exchange rate conversion - $46.0 million, per capita $400; real growth rate 1.5% (1989)

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: dominant sector of economy, primary source of exports; cash crops - cocoa (85%), coconuts, palm kernels, coffee; food products - bananas, papaya, beans, poultry, fish; not self-sufficient in food grain and meat

Industries: light construction, shirts, soap, beer, fisheries, shrimp processing

Industrial production growth rate: growth rate 7.1% (1986)

Labor force: 21,096 (1981); most of population engaged in subsistence agriculture and fishing; labor shortages on plantations and of skilled workers; 56% of population of working age (1983); Organized labor: NA; Long-form name: Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe

Unemployment rate: NA%

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $10.2 million; expenditures $36.8 million, including capital expenditures of $22.5 million (1989)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $4.4 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: cocoa 85%, copra, coffee, palm oil
Partners: FRG, GDR, Netherlands, China

Imports: $21.3 million (f.o.b., 1990 est.)
Commodoties: machinery and electrical equipment 54%, food products 23%, other 23%
Partners: Portugal, GDR, Angola, China

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: dobras (Db) per US$1 - 260.0 (November 1991), 122.48 (December 1988), 72.827 (1987), 36.993 (1986)


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Electricity
Production: 5,000 kW capacity; 10 million kWh produced, 80 kWh per capita (1991)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Percent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $N/A, NA% of GDP

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 2 total, 2 usable; 2 with permanent-surface runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs